Great Britain’s Jonnie Peacock (second from left) races to victory in the men’s T44 100-metres dash at the London Summer Paralympic Games on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, ahead of American Richard Browne (second from right, who finished second) and fourth-place finisher Oscar Pistorius (far right), a Paralympic and Olympic icon.

LONDON — On the world's grandest stage for amputee runners, in front of 80,000 roaring fans, a blond-haired British Peacock strutted his stuff Thursday in spectacular fashion.

Jonnie Peacock, just 19 years old, backed up the world record he set in July by winning the gold medal Thursday night in the blue riband event of the Paralympic Games, the men's T44 100 metres.

In the process, the precocious Peacock knocked off Paralympic icon Oscar Pistorius, a triple gold medallist at Beijing in 2008, and 2011 world champion Jerome Singleton of the U.S., neither of whom even made the podium.

Peacock, a single-leg amputee since the age of five, shook off a false start charged to the field and then got off to his usual quick start when the race began for good. He held off the hard-charging field, crossing the finish line in 10.90 seconds, a Paralympic record and just .05 seconds off the world mark he set in Indianapolis.

“It's surreal,” he said. “When you've got guys like [British wheelchair racing star] David Weir going out and getting golds, you just want to go out and be a part of that. It hasn't really sunk in yet. I don't think it will ever sink in.”

Richard Browne, the least heralded of the three Americans in the field, took the silver medal with a personal best 11.03 seconds, with South African Amu Fourie third in 11.08.

“Me and Jonnie are just 20 and 21 and we're the new wave,” proclaimed the flamboyant Brown, who was sporting a bright yellow spiral earning in his left lobe and a shimmering purple one in his right. “We'll be racing for a very long time.

“I won't call it a rivalry quite yet, but stay tuned for world championships.”

The 25-year-old Pistorius, who had created waves when he complained after losing his 200-metre title last Sunday about the unfairness of some runners using longer prosthetics, was fourth in 11:17. Singleton was sixth in 11.25.

The South African, who will try to retain his 400-metre title on Saturday, was gracious in defeat this time.

“I am a proud Paralympian and I want to see my sport grow,” he said. “That's what happened here tonight. We have had the fastest final ever watched by more people around the world than ever before.”

Said Peacock: “I first remember watching Oscar in 2007 and I was thinking 'Wow, this guy's a god.' But today, it's not about him.”

Pistorius, the most recognizable Paralympian in the world, in large part because of his successful fight to run in the Olympics last month, had been saying all week that it would be tough to retain his 100-metre title because he had been training mostly for the 400 metres, which he ran in the Olympics.

“I was saying I wanted to be top three. That was a realistic goal and I gave it my best, but it was not good enough. I am not a 100-metre sprinter.”

Still, Browne said it was “shocking” that Pistorius didn't get on the podium.

“He's such an amazing runner. He'll be back, no doubt.”

Singleton insisted he gave “a gold medal effort,” but was disappointed that he couldn't repeat his victory from 2011 worlds.

“I'm still the world champion and I'm going to defend my title next year. I can promise you that. I feel like I just got complacent. I just needed a wake-up call and this is my wake-up call.”

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